Lakers vs Warriors Picks & Odds: Golden State Has The Edge At Home

The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers collide on Tuesday in their highly anticipated season opener on TNT. Golden State comes in as the reigning NBA champion while Los Angeles will be looking for redemption after missing the playoffs last season. Find out which team has the edge in our Lakers vs Warriors prediction.

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Lakers vs Warriors Sportsbook Odds 

The Warriors opened as the 6.5-point favorite over the visiting Lakers with the total set at 229.5 points. The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the two teams while Golden State has won 14 of the last 18 games against Los Angeles at home, giving the hosts the clear upper hand in our Lakers vs Warriors prediction. 

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James, Davis Look Forward To Healthier 2022-23 Season

To say that last season was a disappointment for the Lakers would be a massive understatement as they missed the playoffs just two years after winning the NBA title in 2019-20.

A big part of their down season was, of course, the health of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who missed 26 and 42 contests, respectively.

Even while battling through injury, James averaged 30.3 points per game – the second-best mark of his 19-year career – while often playing at center in the absence of Davis. The duo will look to stay healthy and help lead the Lakers back into the postseason in 2022-23.

Warriors Look To Defend Last Season’s Championship

Unlike the Lakers, everything went just right for the Warriors last season as they claimed their fourth title in the last eight years. Steph Curry earned NBA Finals MVP honors for the first time in his career while Klay Thompson, who hadn’t taken the court for two straight seasons, returned to play a key role in the team’s championship run.

Golden State did take a blow in the offseason, losing important depth pieces in Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr., but that should open the door for James Wiseman to take a step. Wiseman missed the entire 2021-22 season recovering from knee surgery but showed promise in his rookie campaign with 11.5 points per game.

Lakers Player Prop: James OVER 29 Points (+104)

James is getting up there in age at 37 but he proved last season that he’s not slowing down just yet. LeBron should be especially hungry coming into this season after last year’s disappointment, so it’s not a stretch to think he could hit the OVER on 29 points in the season opener.

Warriors Player Prop: Curry OVER 26 Points (+100)

Curry averaged 25.5 points per game last season but was on fire in the postseason as that number bumped up to 27.4. The Warriors sharpshooter is getting +100 to hit the OVER on 26 points in Tuesday’s season opener, which seems like easy money.

Lakers: Keys To Win

The Lakers arguably have the stronger one-two punch in this matchup with James and Davis, though Davis is listed as probable as he’s dealing with a back injury. If the duo is healthy and firing on all cylinders, they could lead their team to an upset win at Golden State.

Warriors: Keys To Win

While the Warriors are known for their offensive prowess and three-point shooting, they were also a defensive powerhouse last season, tied for fourth in points against per game (105.8). Team defense will be key against the Lakers, who boast a ton of firepower in James, Davis and even Russell Westbrook.

NBA Computer Pick: Warriors -7

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